Toasting apparatus are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from simple two-slice toasters used in the home to more elaborate toasting apparatus used in restaurants, such as fast food restaurants, for preparing various bread-type food products. Some toasters have flat heated platens for engaging and “caramelizing” the flat surface of certain products such as sandwich buns. In other words, the inner flat surfaces of the two bun halves are pressed against the flat heated platens to give the desired toasted finish on the surfaces of the bun or other such bread product. Other toasters use radiant heat and are used for toasting such bread products as bagels, muffins or the like. In these types of toasters, the bread product is not actually touched or pressed against a flat heated surface or platen.
In many restaurant establishments, such as fast food restaurants, radiant toasters are used during “breakfast time” for toasting such products as bagels, muffins, croissants or the like with radiant heat. After the breakfast time, the radiant toaster is moved out of the way and a second “lunch or dinner time” toaster is brought out for toasting the flat surfaces of other bread products such as sandwich buns, slices of bread or the like. Problems with such systems involve the fact that two separate toasters are required to perform two separate toasting functions or processes. This requires multiple expenditures, multiple shelf space, multiple cleaning jobs and other related problems. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a new and improved dual function toaster, along with a novel platen and gate system, as well as a unique method of surface toasting buns or other such bread-type food products.